Is Satellite Internet For You?

Not every product or service is right for everyone, and satellite Internet is no different. Finding out whether or not satellite internet is a good investment for you or if you will literally be burning through cash on something that will not meet all (or perhaps any) of your needs. Here are some ways to tell how suited satellite Internet is to you and your particular situation, needs, and budget:

Satellite Internet May be Right for You If You Like to RV

Recreational vehicles (RVs) are on the go, and often out in the middle of next to nowhere. Some campgrounds and other locations have taken full advantage of this fact knowing full well that people need to stay connected, and are offering ridiculously overpriced broadband of their own or even dial-up at inflated prices! In this day and age anyone offering dial-up Internet access should be sued for cruel and unusual punishment or at least be forced to take urine tests on a frequent basis just to be sure that they are not on something.

Satellite Internet is better than getting price gouged and anything is better than being forced to use dialup! Most modern satellite systems are capable of penetrating thick foliage as if it was not even there and auto-homing mounts make adjusting to a new location a short automated task that only requires the push of a button!

Satellite Internet May be Wrong for You if You Live in a Big City

Residents of big cities generally have faster and more affordable broadband offerings, and thus rarely choose satellite Internet systems. There are still a few arguments, such as privacy that may make people reconsider their options, but as a general rule you will see few satellite Internet systems as primary broadband services within a city.

Satellite Internet May be Right for You If You Like to Own a Boat

Just like RV owners, boat owners have some unique challenges when it comes to broadband access. Special mounts enable water-going craft to maintain a reasonable lock on a satellite in relatively calm waters, and that could be just what the doctor ordered for a few nights out on the water!

Satellite Internet May be Wrong for You if You Play a Lot of Multiplayer Games

The latency involved with the first generation satellite relays are not the best for multiplayer games. Adding roughly a half second to ping times, there are not too many gamers that would want to multiplayer game on these connections. Newer satellites rely on lower flying orbiters and are far better suited to the social gamer. Note that single player experiences are unchanged, and satellite broadband is certainly up to the task of downloading and patching titles!

Satellite Internet May be Right for You If You Need a Backup Connection

Many businesses have a secondary Internet connection handy for when things go horribly wrong. Many choose satellite Internet because business-grade connections are reasonably fast for backup work, and generally relay signals to far away centers that would not be devastated by a local catastrophe such as an earthquake, fire, floor, or other serious crisis.

Satellite Internet May be Wrong for You if You Backup Data to The Cloud

Backing up data to The Cloud requires significant upstream performance, and satellite Internet is not the first choice in this regard. Of course, if you are on the go and this is all that there is, then satellite Internet will do in a pinch.

Satellite Internet May be Right for You If Live Far Away From Civilization

If your neighbors are so far away from you that you cannot even remember what they or their property look like then you probably live in an area with no discernible broadband presence. This is a prime market for satellite Internet carriers and you may find that you really have few other choices. The good news is that unlike some markets where DSL or cable networks offer the only broadband over wire in the area, satellite Internet performance does not degrade based on your location so long as you are not in a heavily wooded area. Even heavily wooded areas barely degrade performance of new multi-spectrum satellite Internet systems.